"What is it?" she hissed. "We're at dinner."
"I need to speak with Antonio."
"He just went to the bathroom."
"Can you get him to call me back?"
"Alexandra, we're at dinner and he needs time off from running around fixing your problems."
"He's not fixing my..."
"You need to get your job back with Solomon. Then you'll have a team instead of getting my boyfriend to bail you out."
"He's not bailing..."
"Our entrees are here."
"Can you ask Antonio to call me..." Click. The line went dead.
I tried Solomon again, but still got no answer. It was pointless calling Garrett because he was on chicken pox duty. I tried calling Jord, but there was no answer and Daniel 's phone went directly to voicemail. I had no one else to call, and I didn't know whom Delgado left in charge of watching over Juliet's cameras, nor did I know who Solomon had posted outside, watching the house. Feeling utterly inept, both at my lack of knowledge about Solomon's orders, and annoyed at myself for being so focused on racing to the supermarket that I didn't think to ask those crucial questions, I grabbed my jacket. I zipped it over my bra and stuck my feet in my boots before unlocking the drawer where I kept my gun. I checked it was loaded, and tucked it into my belt. Grabbing my keys, and with my cell phone still in hand, I ran for my car. I made one final call for backup as I fired up the engine.
"Hey."
"Maddox?" I looked over my shoulder as I threw the car into reverse, backing up onto the street.
"Lexi? Are you okay?"
"I need help. I think my client is in trouble."
"What happened?"
"She's alone in her house and someone else is in there with her."
Maddox was silent for a couple seconds. "This is someone bad?"
"I think it's her stalker and I think I know who it is. I need backup."
"Give me the address."
I did that quickly and hung up, switching to Juliet's line. "Are you still there?" I asked. "Are you locked in the bathroom?"
"Yes," whispered Juliet. "I locked it. What took you so long?"
"Don't worry about that. I'm on my way with backup."
"I think they're in my bedroom. I heard footsteps."
"Whatever you do, do not open your door."
"Okay."
"And stay on the line. Under no circumstances, do you hang up. Got it?"
"Got it?"
"Good. Stay quiet."
I drove as fast as I could. Juliet's house was quiet as I stopped outside, gradually rolling to a halt. I wanted to screech my announcement, but I didn't want whoever was inside — and Juliet assured me somebody was — to realize my presence.
"Do you hear anyone now?" I asked.
"No. Where are you?"
"I'm outside."
"I haven't heard footsteps for a few minutes."
"Do not open the door," I warned her.
"I won't. I promise."
"Stay on the line. Backup's here."
"You called the police?"
"Not quite." Maddox's car rolled up behind mine and he got out, jogging over to me. I climbed out, noticing his weapon was already drawn.
"Give me the lowdown," he said.
"My client is locked in the upstairs bathroom off the master bedroom. She heard footsteps in the bedroom, but none for the past few minutes." We both glanced towards the house. All the lights were off.
"I don't see a flashlight," he said. "But that doesn't mean anything."
"I think the stalker knows his or her way around the house."
"Here's what we'll do..." Maddox stopped as a scream echoed down the phone.
"Juliet?" I yelled. "Juliet?"
"He's got an ax!" she yelled, no longer cautious at being heard. "I can see the blade in the door. He's..." she screamed again, her words lost.
"You go around back," Maddox commanded, already racing for the door. I followed swiftly, reaching the stoop as he pointed to the side of the house. "I'll take the front. Did you call someone else? Do we have backup?"
"I tried calling everyone. No one's picking up. Someone on Solomon's team is supposed to be watching the house, and we have cameras inside."
"So where is everyone?" Maddox tried the handle. It didn't budge. He threw himself at the frame and I heard something splinter.
"I don't know."
He rammed his shoulder against the door again. "Go!" he yelled.
I turned and raced away from the front door, hearing the door rupture as I reached the side of the house. "FBI," yelled Maddox. Whoever was inside had to have heard the door break. I edged around the house, ducking under windows. At the kitchen window, I slowly slid upwards, peeking inside. The kitchen was dark, but I saw a figure darting across the room towards the doors. I dashed forwards, seeing a person step outside, and launched myself at the intruder. I knocked the guy off balance and he went down with a grunt. We rolled across the deck and I got in a punch to the belly, which was met with a soft grunt and a fist to my face that soon had me seeing stars. Momentarily stunned, he pushed me off, scrambling to his feet as I flailed on my back, grasping for any kind of handhold to prevent his escape. I grabbed a fistful of coat and pulled hard, hearing the fabric rip, before the perp dropped to his knees, coming at me with his fists raised.
I scrabbled for my gun in my waistband with one hand as I tried to fend off the frenzied attack with my closed fist. All I could focus on was deflecting blows rather than landing any of my own. A kick to my ribs winded me as my hand closed around my gun's grip. "Stop! Or I'll shoot!" I groaned, raising the gun as another hard blow slammed into my cheek. My head snapped sideways, connecting with the deck. The figure started to scramble to his feet. I wrapped my ankles around one of his and pulled hard, knocking him off balance. He tumbled over me, landing a knee to my belly and dropping to the ground. The black knit mask distorted his features as we wrestled. I felt the fight change. I was no longer defending myself because he stopped trying to disable me. I made a huge error in announcing I would shoot. Now my assailant wanted my gun!
Fingers closed around mine on the handle, and I landed a soft, feeble punch to his belly as he yanked my hand and... a shot sounded in the quiet street. The body went soft, and for a moment, my breath was lost.
The body was still.
On my back, I relaxed just in time for the head to rear up and smash a fist into my cheek. Another thump stunned me, followed by a kick to my belly that sent bile climbing up my throat. I lay on my back, blinking, as the figure scrambled off and raced across the garden.
Groaning, I rolled onto my side, and pushed onto my knees. The moment I was back on my feet, I started running. The figure slipped from the shadows cast by the garage into the shadows of the tree. I raced forwards, catching sight of the perp as he scrambled over the fence. A soft thud on the other side told me he landed. In the low light, I searched for how he climbed over. A rain barrel lay on its side. I pushed it upright, scrambling upwards when another shot sounded.
A woman's scream followed it.
Amidst the heavy thudding in my chest, my heart skipped a beat.
Chapter Sixteen
I climbed over the fence, landing in a heap on the dirt. The alley was lit softly by moonlight away from the shadows of the houses, and the tall fences that separated the neat backyards. Trashcans sprang up periodically next to gates. There were no vehicles and no running assailants. Pained moans sounded as I crept forwards, keeping close to the fence, searching for the source of the noise. I didn't have to look very far. In the middle of the alley, a woman lay on her side, whimpering.